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Key workers sit at the heart of our modern society, but do we take enough care of them? According to a study from 2024, 67% of key workers agreed that there was a lack of affordable housing in the UK, and with house prices skyrocketing it’s easy to understand why. But there are solutions that can propel key workers into a more hopeful future; so, why is Shared Ownership the ideal housing scheme for key workers?
Shared Ownership lowers the bar for entry so that more key workers can access a permanent home that they own, providing benefits such as:
Keep reading to understand how Shared Ownership deals with the needs of key workers in 2026 and beyond, and what you should consider before signing for a Shared Ownership home.
“Key worker” is a broad term for any individual with a public or private sector job that is considered essential to modern society. Some examples of industries with key workers in 2026 include:
It is important that key workers can find affordable and comfortable housing because they play a vital role in holding society together. Key workers face some particular challenges when searching for affordable housing:
In England in 2024, the average full-time wage was £37,600 while the average cost of a home was £290,000 (that’s a 7.7x difference). In Wales, there is a 5.9x difference between median earnings and house prices, and this unaffordability rings true across almost every local authority in the UK.
Key workers often need to live closer to where they work to afford flexibility for unpredictable hours and ‘on-call’ shifts. When they can’t, workplaces often see retention difficulties which harms their essential services.
One of the best ways to maintain our essential services is by fostering healthy homes and communities. Key workers on inconsistent shifts need stability at home, which can be provided by the community if people are able to make the area their own.
Housing schemes provide key workers solutions to these challenges by lowering the barrier to entry for accommodation and homeownership.
In 2024, the Aster Group reported that 69% of key workers in Great Britain felt that more Shared Ownership properties should be built. 67% also agreed there is a lack of affordable housing in the UK.
One of the best housing schemes for key workers is Shared Ownership due to the wealth of benefits it offers leaseholders.
Shared Ownership schemes are often featured on new-build properties which are typically located on new developments in well-connected areas, or in the heart of the action of a city. Both types of new-build can be found with growing or existing connections to workplaces making your commute less of a hassle.
Shared Ownership properties offer long-term stability to leaseholders by allowing you to build up to owning your own house outright through staircasing.
By reducing the cost of rents and mortgages, Shared Ownership (and its precursor scheme, Rent to Buy) create great money saving opportunities. For key workers especially, finding the space to put money into savings is incredibly important for building long-term security and investing in their own futures.
Shared Ownership homes and new-build developments feature flourishing communities of new neighbours, new businesses, and a pride of home. These are all essential features for essential workers because they can boost one’s happiness, satisfaction, and wellbeing.
Additionally, Shared Ownership properties allow for more flexibility when decorating than privately rented homes and often are larger than what you would find for a similar price on the private market.
Key workers should look for some specific factors when considering a Shared Ownership home, including:
If you don’t love the area you live in, then you probably won’t enjoy living there as much as you could. This isn’t such a bad thing if you’re renting or expecting to move around, but Shared Ownership is a route to permanent home ownership so you need to be open to committing for multiple years.
Do a sweep of the local area and really spend some time there before agreeing to any particular contract to make sure that you really can see yourself growing into the neighbourhood.
Ask yourself, before signing for any kind of property, whether your new home will suit your current lifestyle. Consider these lifestyle requirements and align yourself with a home that fits you perfectly:
Once you have considered your lifestyle requirements, also consider the accessibility of the home. This will typically involve:
Check out our blog to learn more about the lifestyle benefits of Shared Ownership: 5 Lifestyle Benefits of Choosing Shared Ownership Beyond the Price Tag
As a key worker, your eligibility for Shared Ownership housing schemes will depend on some core criteria:
You can check your eligibility for Shared Ownership by using Plumlife’s Eligibility Checker tool.
You can also check how affordable a Shared Ownership home is for you by entering some information into our Shared Ownership Affordability Calculator. We just need:
Plumlife has a ground-breaking selection of new-build homes under the Shared Ownership housing scheme for key workers all across Manchester, Yorkshire, and the North West. Browse our developments online and take the first step towards stability and saving today.
Take a look at more blogs about Shared Ownership below:
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